20 Years ago

20 years ago – August 1993: I worked pretty hard this month with my goal being the World Mountain running championships in Gap France in September. I averaged just over 100 miles a week and raced four times. The first race was a return to the Yankee Homecoming race which served as the New England 10 mile championships. It was 90 and humid at the start (isn’t that typical for Newburyport in August?). I ended up taking third place in a disappointing 50:25. Two weeks later I headed down to Worcester mid-week to get in a “hard workout” at the CMS 5k series. I ran 14:59 and noted in my training diary “felt shitty”. Four days later I was in the mountains of Italy climbing 5,000’ over 9.5 miles at the Challenge Stellina. I took second place and became an “Italian millionaire” which with the current exchange rate for Lira came out to over $1,000. I spent the next week training in Zermatt Switzerland and raced at the Matterhorn Lauf a 4,100’ climb over 7.6 miles. The altitude was tough as the race started at 5,000’ but the week at that height had me prepared. I took 2nd place in a field of about 400.